DIA's worst accident ever

Since Denver International Airport opened in 1995, there has never been a mass casualty incident like the one involving a Continental Airlines flight that skidded off a runway at takeoff. Dozens were hurt. What do you think about the crash? Does it make you feel less safe, just as the holiday travel season is peaking? (Read the story.)

I watched our dyspeptic airport manager, Kim Day, on the news last night covering up this disaster- dodging questions and lying about the injuries. She looked like she was coming off a 4 day bender and couldn’t be bothered with truth. Can’t we do better than this?

W. Marshall Moseley

Clearly, pilot error. Pre-flight checklist, de-iceing, whatever.

Actually, this is less of an overall safety issue that a serious mark against the Airline. With less travel this year the Airlines have no argument for decreased safety and insufficent pilot training.

Carl Winters

As an airline pilot myself, I can say with confidence that an emergency evacuation with no deaths and few serious injuries is a great success. I wouldn’t speculate on the cause of the accident until the reports come out in about 12 months. Until then, let’s congratulate all of the people from the flight crew, to the flight attendants to the rescuers. It’s a scary accident but American airlines are still safer than any other form of transportation.

Media Circus clown

A plane skidded off the runway at DIA, Denver. No fatalities, some injuries. Flights in and out of DIA are delayed.
Thats news!
Horrific scene as plane crashes and burns! Dozens rushed to the hospital. Some maybe terriblly scarred and seeking damages. Nation is stunned!
Stay tuned for 48 hours of overblown analysis and senseless idiots preaching nothing to you about nothing.
Thats entertainment.
God Bless America

Media Circus clown

I rest my case!

Scott

It’s pretty amazing that this is the first time in 13 years that DIA has had an accident. I doubt that Stapleton could boast that kind of record.

Rick

If the plane suddenly veered, it seems to me that’s a steering problem which could have been caused by a flat tire creating drag on one side. I’m guessing they’ll find tire debris on the runway before the intersection it veered off toward.

Kevin Townsend

I am a flight attendant and I have a saying I live by: “The most dangerous part of flying is the drive to and from the airport”. Even with this incident at DIA I will still feel that way. Commercial pilots are some of the most trained professionals you’ll ever be served by. Flying is, and always will be, safer than driving, especially in winter conditions. Anyone reading this: Keep flying commercial. It’s the safest way to travel.

DVC

Passenger Alex Zamora states, “”We took flight for a few moments, hit the ground, bumped the ground and the engine on the right side of the plane seemed to just blow up.” If, as many passengers have said that the nose went up and came right back down again with a thud that caused the fuselage to buckle that would mean that, at just 2000 ft into his take off run – the pilot was trying to rotate too early. A 737 should use about 4000 ft to take off. When the Air Florida 737 crashed into the Patomac River in 1982 it was because thw pilots tried to take off with less than full power due to ice covering the air intake. The pilots thought thay had speed and thrust that they had not yet achieved. True there was no snow but a pilot who landed just before this plane took off said he saw ptches of ice on the runway. Wind gust. Don’t think so. An attempt to “rotate” after just 2000 ft fully loaded WITH a wind gust maybe. But 2000 ft just doesn’t…fly.

AIRLINE EMPLOYEE

What difference does it make? Requesting the opinions of those who are not directly involved with the incident only leads to gripes and complaints about airline practices that most (outside of those who work in the industry) fully know what goes into running an airline, and the safety practices in place for all the airlines to make their aircrafts as safe as possible. Why do we use forums like this to try and sensationalize a tragic situation? Has the Denver Post set up a forum to send “Best Wishes” to the families and individuals involved in this disaster, during this “Peak Holiday” travel season? You have far greater chance of being in a major accident on your way to DIA on Pena Boulevard, than you do in an aircraft. That would be a wonderful comparison to make, as it relates to safety! How many accidents have occurred with injury on Pena Boulevard since 1995, and let’s compare that to the total number of accidents involving aircrafts at DIA.

Sincerely,
An Airline Emoloyee tired of the media only coming to the airport during peek travel times, to scare passengers with hipe.

Joe Winkelman

It is absolutely amazing to me how safe flying is. Think about it… DIA has been open for 13 years, and this was the “worst” accident. The Post makes it sound like like armagedon. There are probably 3 times as many people injured on the highways around Denver every day. No fatalities. No, it wasn’t good, but if we could have less than 50 people injured on our highways in 13 years I think it would be something we would laud, not something we try to make sound like a catastrophe.

Jon Winkelman

It is absolutely amazing to me how safe flying is. Think about it… DIA has been open for 13 years, and this was the “worst” accident. The Post makes it sound like like armagedon. There are probably 3 times as many people injured on the highways around Denver every day. No fatalities. No, it wasn’t good, but if we could have less than 50 people injured on our highways in 13 years I think it would be something we would laud, not something we try to make sound like a catastrophe.

Josh

Please don’t sensationalize. This was not a “mass casualty” incident. “Casualty” implies people were killed.

Will

Hallelujah ! Everyone made it out alive! Thank you DIA firefighters, and BRAVO to those attentive passengers sitting by the emergency exits who paid attention to the FA’s safety briefings ! ! !

Will

Hallelujah ! Everyone made it out alive! Thank you DIA firefighters, and BRAVO to those attentive passengers sitting by the emergency exits who paid attention to the FA’s safety briefings ! ! !

Chris in Houston

“never been a mass casualty incident like the one involving a Continental Airlines flight…”?! There were no casualties, and for that everyone is extremely grateful. This was a serious accident but could have been so much worse. Nobody died, the plane is insured, and the plane didn’t hit any property or damage anything on the ground. As far as plane accidents go, this one was a happy ending but super scary.

lobsterman

I’d like to hear from anyone on this plane that was trying to get their luggage out of the overhead bins? what the hell could be so important that you would risk your life and the lives of others?

My wife and I have often speculated that there would be people on any flight selfish enough to pull such BS. I am actually surprised that real events support the worst case.

Idiots…

rcolarco

I hope the NTSB reads this forum. We have people here who already know what caused the accident. This could save the NTSB a lot of time and money!

For those of you who already know what caused the accident:

Were you there?

How many accidents have you investigated?

How many hours do you have in the 737?

Don Moore

Thankfully everyone survived.
As a 40+ year airline employee I’m a bit puzzled as to why people assume pilot error, weather, mechanical problems “CAUSED” the accident. In fact it is human nature to speculate in such cases however, I praise the flight, cabin crew and emergency responders for getting everyone out.
The cause will b discovered and announced when the NTSB has determined what caused the accident. As with all accidents there will be a primary cause and several contributing factors.